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An Aggressive Uptake of Glucose

An Aggressive Uptake of Glucose

Alright, so the surgeion had been largely unsuccessful in his attempt to remove the cancerous lymph node from my neck. There being nothing more he could do for me with his scalpel, he pointed me in the direction of an oncologist just down the road. ...

Beware of Cattle

Beware of Cattle

Have you heard the joke about a warning sign near the brink of a dangerous cliff? They took the sign down because no one ever fell over the edge.

The Last Outpost

The Last Outpost

When I first started coming to Pearly Beach in the 1970s, access was on a gravel road that went through Baardskeerdersbos and then turned right and headed in an almost straight line for the sea. 

One Thing Leads to Another

One Thing Leads to Another

On a hot day in February 2019, I consulted a dermatologist in Hermanus. A thin woman in her fifties, she wore a strapless dress that was so flimsy and loose-fitting it occurred to me she might be wearing a nightie. I asked her to take a look at some ...

My Academic Career

My Academic Career

Towards the end of 1967, which was my last year at Fish Hoek High School, the headmaster called my parents in for an interview. He told them it was his sad duty to inform them that their son would never amount to much in life. 

Am I Really Me?

Am I Really Me?

For as long as I can remember I have been interested in and perplexed by identity, espcially my own.

The Lead Cylinder and the Plastic Urine Sieve

The Lead Cylinder and the Plastic Urine Sieve

In 2015 I went to Dr M for a check-up. After shafting me with a gloved and lubricated forefinger she told me my prostate was hard and enlarged, and recommended I have a blood test.

How To Become An Entrepreneur

How To Become An Entrepreneur

While in the army, Plug received some advice from the Quartermaster. 

Tough Times

Tough Times

Man, but this life is hard! You know how much trouble and pain I've had ever since I was a kid?

Hospital Story: Part Two

Hospital Story: Part Two

In my teens and early twenties, I experienced much mental anguish trying to make sense of the world and discover the meaning of life.

A Stitch in Time

A Stitch in Time

"A stitch in time saves nine" is an old English proverb that advises one to take remedial action sooner rather than later.

Go Forth and Multiply

Go Forth and Multiply

"And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish in the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"